Secret Temptations
by cheesynachos3
Summary: When art historian, Simon Bricker causes tension between Cora and Robert. It's up to Lady Catherine Crawley and Emily Edwards to team up and sort it out. Told by Catherine's point of view. I DO NOT OWN DOWNTON ABBEY. (Catherine and Emily are made up characters)..
1. Chapter 1

**So I pretended Cora didn't lose the baby and had a girl, Catherine. But, I hope you will enjoy my first Downton Fic.**

_February 1924_

23 years of age, times flies when you think about it. Mama and papa's wedding anniversary was last week and my old friend, Emily Edwards is here to stay until her family return from New York for her sister's wedding. Even Sybbie and George are more grown up now, out of their infant years. But, after the fire in Edith's room, I dread to go near a fireplace again. No, I mean it.

It's February, ages until my 24th birthday, which no-one seems to remember. Only mama and Emily seem to remember, surrender right? I sat at the table eating my breakfast when Emily walked in, "Did you hear, Jimmy might get sacked."

"What for?" I asked.

"He got caught in bed with Lady Anstruther last week." Emily smiles weakly before sitting down.

"Ouch, that's him busted," I say with a small smile. I saw papa pace in. "What's wrong papa?"

"I still don't know what to do with Jimmy."

Emily sat up and drank her orange juice, "I thought Mr Carson was going to sack him after what happened with Lady what's-her-face."

Papa handed me a telegram, I ripped it open and read it. "Simon Bricker is arriving today and why is he writing to me for?" I asked.

Emily shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know, maybe he meant to write to your father but wrote to you by accident." Emily suggested.

"What ever the reason is, I don't care. I'm going for a walk, Emily you coming?"

"Yes," Emily stood up before following me out the room.

-x-

A cold morning, it must have rained last night because the grass was horribly wet. Me and Emily walked along the grass together. "Are you sure you're okay with Simon Bricker coming?" I asked.

Emily looked up and smiled, "Of course, but I hope he does not remember me, after what happened to mummy."

"I'm not very excited to be honest, he will spend the whole night talking about paintings and to be honest it sounds boring."

"Your mother loves the art, I can tell." Emily said before the winter breeze blew in our face.

I stood still for a moment and thought, _how does she know that?_. "Are you some sort of mind reader?"

"I'm smart, what do you expect?" Emily turned to see Tom Branson taking a walk with his daughter, Sybbie. "Do you miss Sybil?"

"Of course I do, she was the most sweetest out of me, Mary and Edith."

Emily turned to see a car coming up the drive way. "We ought to get back, I think Mr Bricker is here."

-x-

My gosh, the first thing he said to me was "Oh, how lovely to meet you, I didn't realise you have such lovely daughters". I rolled my eyes, I can now see why Emily hates him. I watched him through out dinner, how he talked to mama about the art and she said she'd love to visit an art gallery. Mama told him a joke and it wasn't even funny, I did my fake laugh but mama just stared at me like she's never seen me before in her whole life. Emily said something I found funny, "No offence Lady Grantham, but your jokes are pretty lame." I sniggered before eating the rest of my dinner.

"Are you into the arts, Lady Catherine?" Simon Bricker asked.

I just looked at him, like he was some sort of random thing. I smiled weakly, "No, not really." _What an idiot, _I thought to myself.

I watched him for five minutes, I noticed he was flirting with mama. How she giggled at his jokes. I turned to Emily, who was just staring at them. "Emily, why are you staring at them?" I asked quietly.

"He likes your mother, I can tell. But, it's not a good sign." I saw papa talking to cousin Isobel about the war memorial. Mary was just being... you know Mary, Rose was actually acting grown up for once in her life and Edith just looked depressed.

But it was clear to me that mama's mind was not on the art-it was elsewhere. I barely noticed Moseley serving the dessert.

-x-

After dinner, well what can I say. Mama spent the last twenty minutes talking to Simon Bricker about the paintings. I mean come on. Edith was just sat on her own looking rather distraught, might be because of Mr Gregson still nowhere to be found. Lord Gillingham chatting up Mary, well there's a surprise. Granny being herself. Papa liked the fact the mama had found something to do.

I knew what Mr Bricker was thinking, he thought mama was a fine piece of art herself. _Ugh, men_, I thought to myself for a second. I've never seen mama look like she's enjoying herself but with another man. Now there's a mystery. I knew there was something about Simon Bricker that annoys me, he's too charming, that's what!

After 30 minutes of endless conversations about god knows what, everyone turned into bed. I watched Madge place my dress on the chair at the corner of the room. "Will that be all, milady?"

I looked up and smiled as I rubbed my hands together, rubbing in my hand cream. "Yes, thank you Madge, goodnight."

"Goodnight, milady." she said finally before leaving the room. I made myself cosy in bed and looked up at the ceiling before turning off the lights.

**Hope you enjoyed the first part. Chapter 2 coming soon. Reviews? **


	2. Chapter 2

**Previously: Simon Bricker arrived and flirted with Cora straight away and Catherine does not like him at all!**

I looked out the window, it was very foggy outside. Mind you it is still winter. Madge helped my get ready into something warm and cosy. I slowly walked down the stair case to find mama and Mr Bricker having a chat. Once again, he was flirting with her, and god knows what he's thinking in his useless mind. Normally, mama would eat breakfast in her room but since he arrived, she started having breakfast with me, Rose, Edith, Tom and papa, which is kind of freaking me out a bit.

I watched him through out breakfast and no-one said a word for 20 minutes, which is odd. Emily sat next to me, I nudged her arm. "Why is no-one talking?" I asked very quietly.

Emily shrugged and sighed. After breakfast, mama and Mr Bricker went for a walk, Edith went out somewhere but she didn't say where she was going. By midday, the sun was out, so me and Emily had a cup of tea outside, but Emily doesn't drink tea or coffee so she had water instead. I saw Edith in the distance, before she came walking up to us.

"Edith, sit down and have a cup of tea."

"I can't, I'm going down to London, I'm catching the 1 o'clock train." Edith explained.

I stared at her, "Why?"

"I'm going to see aunt Rosamund."

"Is it just me or is it just you who actually cares about aunt Rosamund these days?" I asked.

"Anyway, have you seen mama and that art historian guy?" she asked while slipping her leather gloves on.

"No, I've not seen them since breakfast and they said they went for a walk, but that was three hours ago."

Emily placed down her glass. "They've been gone for quite some time haven't they? You won't see them for the rest of the day."

I knew how much Emily loved the sun so I thought of something to get her to shut up. "Shut up Emily! Or I'll sit you in the shade!"

"You wouldn't do such a thing." she shuffled back into the shade.

I turned back to Edith before rolling my eyes at Emily. "If you're wondering what he looks like again, he looks like a walking corpse." Emily giggled quietly before turning to see mama and Mr Bricker walking down the path. I turned to see them too, "Oh look, they're back, about time."

-x-

Dinner was awkward, it was like having tea at granny's. Everyone was completely silent. I kept looking at mama every now and again. Mama decided to say something to granny, "how is the chicken, mama?"

Granny looked up, "Bit bland, I wish we had the beef curtains."

I was drinking some water when she said that and I spat half of it out, along with half of my dinner, which was still in my mouth. I laughed really loudly, I nearly fell off the chair.

Mama shook her head at me, "Beef medallions, Catherine do you mind?"

I couldn't say a word. "Beef curtains!" I was still laughing and everyone was just staring at me.

"You knew what she meant!"

"Oh my god, I can't believe you just said that!"

Emily turned to me, "Shut up!"

Mary came in for dinner late and sat down, "Lord Gillingham is coming to stay tomorrow."

"Does Lord Gillingham like beef curtains Mary?" I asked while still laughing.

Rose turned to mama, "What are beef curtains?"

Mama looked at me in disgrace. "Now look what you've done." she said. I was still laughing and banging my hands on the table.

-x-

Last night, what can I say about last night. Granny said something hilarious, but I was the only one who found it funny. I spat half of my dinner out on mama and Rose. But, today it's down to business. Mama and Mr Bricker are going to the national art gallery and me and Emily are going to spy on them. Yep, that's right I said it, spy on them. It wasn't my idea it was Emily's, cause she's a genius basically.

Sneaking around wasn't hard for me but it was hard for Emily. She says she's never done it before, I've done it hundreds of times. We caught the train down to London and normally it takes ages, whether if it was just me the journey was quicker than I thought. We both walked into the gallery and we soon saw two individuals, it was diffidently mama and Mr Bricker aka the walking corpse, who ruins everyone's life's. I saw Mr Bricker stand behind mama and rest his palms on her shoulders. I knew what was going on, it's not just the paintings he's interested in.

After four long hours of walking around spying on the two people who just, for some reason, enjoy each others company. It was dark and chilly outside, they slowly walked down the path through the village before stopping, they just stared at each other. Emily looked like she was either going to faint or die. I didn't have a clue what mama was doing but instead of leaning back she leaned in towards him. I knew they were stealing a... kiss. As soon as his lips were on hers, mama wrapped her arms around him, like some sort of teddy bear. It looked to me like she was never going to let go. Emily nearly screamed her head off, but I stopped her.

I couldn't take anymore of it, I felt like I was going to be sick. It took me 20 seconds to realise what was going on in front of me. I just watched them snogging in front of me. It looked like mama was enjoying it as well, ewwwww.. There's a horrible vision I now can't get out of my head and is going to haunt me for the rest of my life...

**part 3 coming soon.**


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